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Okowa
Okowa おこわ (強飯) is a Japanese steamed rice dish made with glutinous rice mixed with meat or vegetables. It is sometimes combined with wild herbs (sansai okowa) and vessel chestnuts (kuri okowa). It is generally boiled glutinous rice blended with Azuki beans to give it red color for festive look, made by boiling regular rice with Azuki beans."Kibo ("Brimming with Hope"): Recipes and Stories from Japan's Tohoku", Elizabeth Andoh, Since Okowa is meant to be eaten at room temperature, it is used to make onigiri for its capacity to be frozen well. Etymology The word Okowa in Japanese stems from a shortened form of Kowameshi (meaning "hard rice"). Sometimes, dishes made by blending different rice varieties is also known as Okowa. History Originally referred to plain glutinous rice made in steam, Okowa today refers to red rice called Sekihan. White steamed rice is called by another name. Variations Okowa can be mixed with any kind of meat or vegetable composition, ke ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Glutinous Rice
Glutinous rice (''Oryza sativa var. glutinosa''; also called sticky rice, sweet rice or waxy rice) is a type of rice grown mainly in Southeast and East Asia, and the northeastern regions of South Asia, which has opaque grains, very low amylose content, and is especially sticky when cooked. It is widely consumed across Asia. It is called glutinous ( la, glūtinōsus) in the sense of being glue-like or sticky, and not in the sense of containing gluten (which it does not). While often called ''sticky rice'', it differs from non-glutinous strains of japonica rice which also become sticky to some degree when cooked. There are numerous cultivars of glutinous rice, which include ''japonica'', ''indica'' and ''tropical japonica'' strains. History In China, glutinous rice has been grown for at least 2,000 years. However, researchers believe that glutinous rice distribution appears to have been culturally influenced and closely associated with the early southward migration and distribu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Steaming
Steaming is a method of cooking using steam. This is often done with a food steamer, a kitchen appliance made specifically to cook food with steam, but food can also be steamed in a wok. In the American southwest, steam pits used for cooking have been found dating back about 5,000 years. Steaming is considered a healthy cooking technique that can be used for many kinds of foods. Because steaming can be achieved by heating less water or liquid, and because of the excellent thermodynamic heat transfer properties of steam, steaming can be as fast, or faster, than cooking in boiling water, as well as being more energy efficient. History Some of the world's earliest examples of steam cooking were found in China's Yellow River Valley, early steam cookers made of stoneware have been found dating back as far as 5,000 BCE. And also in Gunma Prefecture, Japan, created during the Stone Age. Some of the second earliest examples of steam cooking have been found in Italy and Sardinia, cre ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Onigiri
, also known as , , or rice ball, is a Japanese food made from white rice formed into triangular or cylindrical shapes and often wrapped in ''nori''. Traditionally, an onigiri is filled with pickled ume (''umeboshi''), salted salmon, katsuobushi, kombu, tarako, mentaiko, takanazuke (pickled ''takana'', Japanese giant red mustard greens) or any other salty or sour ingredient as a natural preservative. Most Japanese convenience stores stock their onigiri with various fillings and flavors. There are even specialized shops which only sell onigiri to take out. Due to the popularity of this trend in Japan, onigiri has become a popular staple in Japanese restaurants worldwide. Despite common misconceptions, onigiri is not a form of sushi and should not be confused with the type of sushi called ''nigirizushi'' or simply ''nigiri''. Onigiri is made with plain rice (sometimes lightly salted), while sushi is made of rice with vinegar, sugar and salt. Onigiri makes rice portable and easy ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Xôi
''Xôi'' () is a savory (''mặn'') or sweet (''ngọt'') Vietnamese dish made from glutinous rice and other ingredients. Xôi is a common on-the-go breakfast item, and a popular snack nationwide. Although it is often served as a breakfast or dessert, people also eat it at lunch or dinner as a main dish in many areas in Vietnam. Varieties Savory Savory ''xôi'' are called ''xôi mặn'' in Vietnamese. They include the following varieties: * Xôi ngô - made with corn and smashed cooked mung beans *Xôi cá - fried fish xôi * Xôi chiên phồng - deep-fried glutinous rice patty *Xôi gà - with chicken *Xôi khúc - with mung bean filling with a coating of pandan leaves paste *Xôi lạc (northern Vietnamese name; called ''xôi đậu phộng'' or ''xôi đậu phụng'' in southern Vietnam) - made with peanuts *Xôi lam - cooked in a tube of bamboo of the genus ''Neohouzeaua'' and often served with grilled pork or chicken; a specialty of highland minority groups *Xôi l ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Meat
Meat is animal flesh that is eaten as food. Humans have hunted, farmed, and scavenged animals for meat since prehistoric times. The establishment of settlements in the Neolithic Revolution allowed the domestication of animals such as chickens, sheep, rabbits, pigs, and cattle. This eventually led to their use in meat production on an industrial scale in slaughterhouses. Meat is mainly composed of water, protein, and fat. It is edible raw but is normally eaten after it has been cooked and seasoned or processed in a variety of ways. Unprocessed meat will spoil or rot within hours or days as a result of infection with, and decomposition by, bacteria and fungi. Meat is important to the food industry, economies, and cultures around the world. There are nonetheless people who choose to not eat meat (vegetarians) or any animal products (vegans), for reasons such as taste preferences, ethics, environmental concerns, health concerns or religious dietary rules. Terminology Th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Japanese Cuisine
Japanese cuisine encompasses the regional and traditional foods of Japan, which have developed through centuries of political, economic, and social changes. The traditional cuisine of Japan (Japanese: ) is based on rice with miso soup and other dishes; there is an emphasis on seasonal ingredients. Side dishes often consist of fish, pickled vegetables, and vegetables cooked in broth. Seafood is common, often grilled, but also served raw as sashimi or in sushi. Seafood and vegetables are also deep-fried in a light batter, as '. Apart from rice, a staple includes noodles, such as soba and udon. Japan also has many simmered dishes, such as fish products in broth called , or beef in and . Historically influenced by Chinese cuisine, Japanese cuisine has also opened up to influence from Western cuisines in the modern era. Dishes inspired by foreign food—in particular Chinese food—like ramen and , as well as foods like spaghetti, curry and hamburgers, have been adapted to Japanes ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nori
Nori is a dried edible seaweed used in Japanese cuisine, made from species of the red algae genus ''Pyropia'', including ''P. yezonesis'' and '' P. tenera''. It has a strong and distinctive flavor, and is often used to wrap rolls of sushi or ''onigiri'' (rice balls). The finished dried sheets are made by a shredding and rack-drying process that resembles papermaking. They are sold in packs in grocery stores for culinary purposes. Since nori sheets easily absorb water from the air and degrade, a desiccant is needed when storing nori for any significant time. History Originally, the term ''nori'' was generic and referred to seaweeds, including ''hijiki''. One of the earliest descriptions of nori is dated to around the eighth century. In the Taihō Code that was enacted in 701, ''nori'' already was included in the form of taxation. Local people were described as drying nori in Hitachi Province fudoki (721–721), and harvesting of nori was mentioned in Izumo Province fudoki ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fish And Chips
Fish and chips is a popular hot dish consisting of fried fish in crispy batter, served with chips. The dish originated in England, where these two components had been introduced from separate immigrant cultures; it is not known who created the culinary fusion that became the emblematic British meal. Often considered Britain's national dish, fish and chips is a common take-away food in the United Kingdom and numerous other countries, particularly in English-speaking and Commonwealth nations. Fish and chip shops first appeared in the UK in the 1860s, and by 1910, there were over 25,000 fish and chip shops across the UK. By the 1930s there were over 35,000 shops, but the trend reversed, and by 2009 there were only approximately 10,000. The British government safeguarded the supply of fish and chips during the First World War, and again in the Second World War; it was one of the few foods in the UK not subject to rationing during the wars. History The UK tradition of ea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Spring Onions
Scallions (also known as spring onions or green onions) are vegetables derived from various species in the genus ''Allium''. Scallions generally have a milder taste than most onions and their close relatives include garlic, shallot, leek, chive, and Allium chinense, Chinese onions. Although the bulbs of many ''Allium'' species are used as food, the defining characteristic of scallion species is that they lack a fully developed bulb. Instead the ''Allium'' species referred to as scallions make use of the hollow, tubular green leaves growing directly from the bulb. These leaves are used as a vegetable and can be eaten either raw or cooked. Often the leaves are chopped into other dishes and used as garnishes. Etymology and names The words ''scallion'' and ''shallot'' are related and can be traced back to the Ancient Greek () as described by the Greek writer Theophrastus. This name, in turn, is believed to originate from the name of the ancient Canaan, Canaanite city of Ashkelo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Carrot
The carrot ('' Daucus carota'' subsp. ''sativus'') is a root vegetable, typically orange in color, though purple, black, red, white, and yellow cultivars exist, all of which are domesticated forms of the wild carrot, ''Daucus carota'', native to Europe and Southwestern Asia. The plant probably originated in Persia and was originally cultivated for its leaves and seeds. The most commonly eaten part of the plant is the taproot, although the stems and leaves are also eaten. The domestic carrot has been selectively bred for its enlarged, more palatable, less woody-textured taproot. The carrot is a biennial plant in the umbellifer family, Apiaceae. At first, it grows a rosette of leaves while building up the enlarged taproot. Fast-growing cultivars mature within three months (90 days) of sowing the seed, while slower-maturing cultivars need a month longer (120 days). The roots contain high quantities of alpha- and beta-carotene, and are a good source of vitamin A, vitamin K, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mushroom
A mushroom or toadstool is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground, on soil, or on its food source. ''Toadstool'' generally denotes one poisonous to humans. The standard for the name "mushroom" is the cultivated white button mushroom, ''Agaricus bisporus''; hence the word "mushroom" is most often applied to those fungi ( Basidiomycota, Agaricomycetes) that have a stem ( stipe), a cap ( pileus), and gills (lamellae, sing. lamella) on the underside of the cap. "Mushroom" also describes a variety of other gilled fungi, with or without stems, therefore the term is used to describe the fleshy fruiting bodies of some Ascomycota. These gills produce microscopic spores that help the fungus spread across the ground or its occupant surface. Forms deviating from the standard morphology usually have more specific names, such as "bolete", "puffball", "stinkhorn", and " morel", and gilled mushrooms themselves are often called "agarics" in refere ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ginger
Ginger (''Zingiber officinale'') is a flowering plant whose rhizome, ginger root or ginger, is widely used as a spice A spice is a seed, fruit, root, bark, or other plant substance primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices are distinguished from herbs, which are the leaves, flowers, or stems of plants used for flavoring or as a garnish. Spice ... and a folk medicine. It is a herbaceous perennial plant, perennial which grows annual pseudostems (false stems made of the rolled bases of leaves) about one meter tall bearing narrow leaf blades. The inflorescences bear flowers having pale yellow petals with purple edges, and arise directly from the rhizome on separate shoots. Ginger is in the family (taxonomy), family Zingiberaceae, which also includes turmeric (''Curcuma longa''), cardamom (''Elettaria cardamomum''), and galangal. Ginger originated in Maritime Southeast Asia and was likely domesticated first by the Austronesian peoples. It was transported with ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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